Floor rack for refrigerator cars



March 31, 1942. c. s. JOHNSTON 2,278,354

' FLOOR RACK RoR RRFRIGERATOR CARS Filed March 26, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1KQN wm, NQS WW NW. km/Qw mw Nm. ww Nw @lv i March 31 1942. 'c. s.,IOHNSTN FLOR RACK FDR REFRIGERATOR CARS 5 Sheet's-Sheet. 2

' FiledA March 26, 195s T 'IT iT'l [nden/Zai? A CdrZeSLOnSm March 3l,1942. c. s. JOHNSTONv 2,278,354 FLOOR RACK FOR R'FRIQER'ATOR'GARS yFiled March 2e, ,-1938 5 Sheng-sheet 3 March 31, 1942- C. s. JOHNSTON`FLOOR RACK FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FiledMarch 26, 1938fggjf AZ il@ v ,ALLO

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c. s.. JOHNSTON 2,278,354

FLOOR RACK FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed March 26, 1938 Marchal, 1942.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ce ed# im? Q96? Patented Mar. 3l, 1942 l 2,278,354FLooa RACK Fon REFRIGERATOR cARs Charles s. Johnston, Glencoe,y nl.,assignor m Transportation Specialties Company, Chicago, Ill., a.corporation of Illinois Application March 26,1938, serial No. 198,289

12 claims. (ol. ros- 375) The present. invention relates to floor racksfor refrigerator cars, and is particularly concerned with the provisionof. improved metal kfloor racks which are` adapted to he used' inrefrigerator cars to support the freight in such manner as to permit thefree circulation of the cooling air about the load in a manner similarto that accomplished by' Wooden oor racks, but with a greater freedom ofventilation.

One. of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improvedfloor rack construction for refrigerator cars which is completelyfireproof and which is adapted to provide a maximum freedom ofventilation or air movement through the fi'oor racks for the purpose ofeffecting a cooling or refrigeration of the products supported upon thefloor rack.

Another object is the provision of an improved floor rack forrefrigerator cars which is iirm, sturdy, and rigid, and provided with amaximum amount of free air openings, and which can be constructedeconomically so that the invention may be. placed within the means of alarger nurnber ofusers of refrigerator cars.

Another object of the invention is the provik sion ofY an improved floorrack construction which utilizes a minimum amount of structural metal orother materials, but which provides air ventilation channels underneaththe rack and openings through the rack for a maximum amount ofventilation, without sacrificing strength.

Another object ofthe invention is the provision of dilerent forms. ofrefrigerator Yfi'oor rack structure, each of which is adapted to providea maximum amount of ventilation, but all of which are firm and rigid.-so that they are adapted to support the heaviest loads which mightI heplaced upon them without deformation or damage, even when therefrigerator car isA subjected to hard jolts or rough usage in traino.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvedrefrigerator car floor rack structure which is adapted to be providedwith a vsubstantially plane or srnoothupper surface so as to permitthegreatest freedom for rolling trafo, and which is also provided withventilation apertures, without any substantialI waste of the material ofwhichthe covering sheet is constructed.

Other objects and advantages. of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings, in which similarcharacters of reference indicate` similar parts throughout the severalviews.

lOl

Referring to the five sheets of drawings ac.- companying thisspecication,

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view, taken through a refrigerator car,just above the floor racks', showing the floor racks in plan;

. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one form, of construction of the oorrack, such as, for example, one of the four small racks which are usedadjacent the car doors;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the plane of the line y3-3of' Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the detailsof structure;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the 1 plane of the line4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a plan View of one of the other larger oor racks, four ofwhich are used at eachend of the car, as shown in Fig. 1, this gurebeing on a smaller scale, andy having the major' portion of the-topcovering removed;

Fig. 6 isV a vertical sectional view, taken on the plane of the line 6-6of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view', taken on the plane of the line 1-1of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5 of another modified form of floorrack;

Fig.9 is a vertical sectional View, taken on the plane of the line 9-9of Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view, taken onLv the plane of the lineIll-I0 of Fig. 8, looking in the direction of thearrows;

Fig. 11 is another top plan view of a modification;

Fig. -12 is-a vertical sectional view, taken on the plane of the line|2-l2 of Fig. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows; y Fig. 13 is avertical sectional View, taken on the plane of the line I=3I3 of Fig.11, lookingv in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary plan view of another form ofthe invention;

Fig. 15 is a vertical sectional view, taken on a plane extendinglongitudinally of the iioor rack of Fig. 14; Fig. 16;

Fig. 16 is a Lvertical sectional view, taken on a planev extendingtransversely of the iioor rack of Fig. 14;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on a plane at rightangles to one of the stringers of, Fig. 4, showing a modified form ofStringer construction;

Fig. 18 is an enlarged sectional View taken through the frame members ofthe type of Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. 1, 26 indicates in its entirety the refrigerator car,which is shown diagrammatically as being provided with side walls 2l,22, end walls 23, 24, and bulkheads 25, 26 dividing the car into thecentral space for the freight, and the two ice compartments 21, 28located at each end of the car.

The cars are usually provided with the centrally located and oppositedoorways 29 and 30, and the iioor racks are preferably arranged as shownin the plan View of Fig. 1.

In order that the car may be used for other purposes, without oor rackson the floor, which is indicated by the numeral 32, the floor racksv arepreferably pivotally mounted so as to be folded up against the sidewalls of the car. Thus the four racks 33--36 are pivotally mounted bymeans of hinges 31, s that the racks 313 and 34 fold up against the wall2l and the racks 35 and 36 against the wall 22. vSuitable latchving'orsecuring devices are provided to hold the racks in xed position againstthe walls or to engage the frame members of the racks along the middleof the car so as totake the thrust when the `racks tend to slide alongthe floor, instead of placing all of the load upon the hinges 371.

The racks 33-36 thus cover one end of the car, while similar racks 38-41cover the opposite end of the car- The space between the doorways 29,3!) is preferably covered by four small racks 42-45, which are ofsuflicient size to rll this space. Each of these racks is preferablypivotally mounted on the adjacent one of the other larger racks, suchas, for example, the rack 43 is pivotally mounted by hinges to the rack33, thel rack 45 to the rack 35, the rack 44 to the rack 4|, and therack 42 to the rack 39, as shown.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, the framework of the rack there shown,such as, for example, the rack 43 of Fig. 1, preferably comprisesaplurality of metal stringers 46 and channelled frame members 41, alsoof metal, extending transversely to the stringers, a covering ofyexpanded metal 48, and an external frame at the top made of angles49-52.

The stringers and channelled members may be made of sheet metal ofsuitable thickness, such as, for example, 13 gauge material; but Idesire it to ybe understood that the thickness of the material will bedependentupon the particular service for which the cars are equippedland heavier or thinner sheet metal may be used. The gauge metal selectedfor an example is believed ltending flanges 58, 59, both turned towardthe 'same side of the body flange 51 and extending to be of suflicientstrength to handle the majority of different loads.

The stringers 46 preferably each have a vertically extending body flange53 and a horizontally extending foot ange 54 at right vangles thereto.The stringers are only slightly shorter than the top of the rack iswide, and the depth of the body flange 53 may correspond to the depth ofthe present frame members used under floor racks, or it may be varied tochange the amount of ventilation.

Each of the stringers 46 is provided with a multiplicity of apertures55, which may be arranged as shown in Fig. 4, in two rows,4 with theapertures staggered for the purpose of providing cross ventilationthrough thefstringers, which in the example of Fig. 2 will extendlongitudinally of the car. The foot flanges 54 may be oppositely,arranged with the two centrally located stringers 46, and

they are preferably turned outwardly at the outermost stringers 46, asshown in Fig. 3.

The stringers are provided with a multiplicity of vertically extendingslots 56, located in the upper edge of the body 46, the slots being ofthe same thickness as the gauge of metal of which the channelled framemembers 41 are constructed. The slots 56 are deep enough in Fig. 4 toreceive the channelled members 41 when these members are slightlystraightened out by the slots, which involves making the slots slightlydeeper than the normal depth of the channel.

Referring to Fig. 4, the` channelled members 41 in this embodiment mayhave a centrally 1ocated flat body 51 and a pair of diagonally exat anangle of, for example, 45 degrees thereto. In the embodiment of Fig. 2,four stringers are provided, and therefore the channelled members 41 arestraightened out at the points Bil- 63, so

that they may be received in the slots 56. By straightening out, I meanthat the diagonal flanges 58 and 59 are brought into the plane of thebody ange 51 of the vchannelled member 41 at the slot 56.

The channelled members 41 are a forced fit in the slots 56, and thestringers are arranged as shown in Fig. 3, with their body flanges 53 atright angles to the channelled members 41. The stringers may bewelded tothe channelled members at all of the points 60, 63 for each channelledmember, if desired; but it mayl also be sufficient to merely weld one ortwo points on each channelled member or to select at random points onthe channelled members and stringers for welding, care being taken sothat each channelled member is preferably welded to at least oneStringer.

Despite the flattening of the channelled members 41 at the points 60-63,the vupper edges of the channelled members 41 and the upper edges of thestringers 46 are all brought into the same plane by the application ofpressure to the points of juncture Ell-63, and this provides a frameworkto which the expanded metal framework 48 can be secured.

The expanded metal framework 48 comprises a sheet of sheet metal ofsuitable gauge, which has beenprovided with a multiplicity of staggeredslits and then expanded by force applied to the sheet transversely tothe direction ofthe slits. This ordinarily leaves the metal at thejunctures still extending slightly diagonally to the plane of theexpanded sheet, but I prefer to subject the expanded sheet to rolling orpressure in some other form so that all of the metal is brought into thesame plane. This provides an expanded metal sheet having a multiplicityof diamond shaped apertures 64 and a multiplicity of diagonallyextending and transversely extending strips 65, 66. The expanded metalsheet for any rack is cut to the size of the rack desired and thenapplied to the top of the framework shown in Fig. 2, comprising thechannelled members 41 and stringers 46.

In addition-` to these channelled members 41, the framework ispreferably provided at each end of the stringers with one angle member49 and 5I,. the angle member having a vertical flange 69 extending intothe slot 56, and having its horizontal flange 10 brought into the planeof the upper edges of the stringers 46 and channelled members 41 toprovide a border frame member for the rack.

The expanded metal sheet Y may then be, extended over the edges'. of thehorizontal flanges 10 of the angles 49 andV 5|, and under thesehorizontal flanges,` asy shown at 1|, thehorizontally extending flangesprojecting. slightly beyond the ends of: the stringers 46.

' The other two sidesof the rack, that is, the top and bottom of Fig.2,4 may also be finished 01T by providing the. angle members 50 and 52(Fig. 2) For example, the angle. member 52 (Fig. 3) has its verticalflange 12 weldedto the ends of the channelled members.y 4.1 andv has itshorizontal flange 13appliedabove the expanded'metal 48 by weldingafterwards. The adjacent stringer is braced by means of a plurality ofshort channelled membersy 14:,.which t in the corners of the stringers,45 andA angle 52 and are welded at each end in the position shown; inFig. 3.

The angle (Fig. 3") has its vertical iiange 15. welded to the ends ofthe channelled members 41 and its horizontal flange 16 .flush with thetop edges of the stringers 45 and-,channelled members 41, and itshorizontal flange isv outwardly turned andl located below the expandedmetal 48.

A. plurality of similar bracing members 11 extend. between the foot 54ofthe adjacent Stringer 46 and the angle 5,9, to bozth of which they arewelded. n

It should be understood that the apertures in the stringers may be m-adelarger, and the heavier gauge metal employed, or the apertures may bemade smaller and lighter gauge metal employed. The stringers may also bereinforced by flanging out the apertures 55 of the stringers, after themanner shown i-nV Fig. 17.

vReferring to Fig. 4 and Fig. 2, the endmost stringers 46 may beprovided with metal hinge members 18, comprising pieces of sheet metalwhich are. welded at 19 to the stringers, and which are.- provided withapertures for a suitablepintle, thereby forming part of the hinges 31.

It should also be understood that while the stringers are preferablyequally spaced from each other and the channelled members are preferablyequally spaced from each other to provide the Same kind of support.under all parts of the expanded metal, they need not be equally spacedin every instance, and the. spacing may be varied for particularpurposes. More or less stringere -or channelled members may also beemployed.

Referring to Figs. 5 to '1, this is a modification. In this case thestringers, which have been indicated by the numeral 8|, are of similarstructure; except that the slots 82 are wider, to accommodate not onlythe body flange 8e3 of the regular channels 84, but also the transverseflanges 85 andl 86 of those channels. The channels are placed on theirsides in the slots B2, and preferably are a close fit within'the slots,except for the two endmost channelled members 84 at the left and rightof Fig. '1, and these two are welded in the corners provided in thestringers 8|.

In this embodiment the framework is again preferably finished at thetwoends by means of angle members 81, 88, yand the expanded metalcovering 48 may be applied above the complete framework, comprisingstringers, channels, andv angles, by welding, as described, and theextreme edges of the expanded metal may be turned downward, as at 89, onall of the sides of the rack. The downwardly turned edges 89 maybewelded in place or may be held in proper position by virtue of theirown stiness.

Iii)

modification, in which. thestructure ofthe rack is similar to that of.Figs.. 2-4, but the slots 90 in the stringers 9| are of` lessdepth sothat. only one of the diagonal anges, thatlis', the flanges 59 of thechannelled members 4.1, need be straightened out for insertion, i'ntotheslots 90, as the upper flange 5|!k and, partv of the. channelled members41 project from. the stringers 9|..

The channelled members 41 are otherwise of the same. construction as;shown, in Fig;y 2, and the framework, comprising they chan-nels: 41 andstringers 9| A welded together, is nish-ed o by means of four angleirons 49-52, applied as de scribed with respect to Figs.. 2 4,- with thehori-v zontal flanges of the lateral angle. irons 49 and ill extendingin opposite directions. i Fig. 18; is a full size sectionalview of oneof; the channelled members 41.. In. this embodiment, like.l

Fig. 5, the expanded metal covering 48 may extend over the edges of theangle irons 49.--52 and may: have its edge. bentdownward, asy indicatedthe channelled members are spaced. from eachl other and, supported byaplurality of;` Z-shaped sheet metal members 94 which serve as bearingplates, spacers, and frame members.. y

The z-shaped bearing plates are` provided with a fiat bodyl portion 9.5,which is,v preferably as. wide as the top ofthe wooden Stringer '92,with.

a dependingr flange 9G,V which engages the side of the stringer 92. Y

The upwardly extending ange 9.1 is provided with a plurality` of` slots98,. or is cut. away at the ends to provide a place for the channelledmembers 93, whicharearranged inthe slots, and at the ends of the Z bar94, engaging the; body flange 95, to which the channelled members maybe-welded. r

The Z bar 94 is provided with. a plurality of. apertures 09 forreceiving the bolts |00-, which also pass through apertures |0-| in thestringers, thereby securing the stringers to the Zv bars and channelledmembers.

In this case the upper and lower sides. of the framework in Figll are:finished by providing additional channelled members lll-2,l I 03, which,as seen in Fig. 12, are arranged with the side flanges extendingoutwardly, and' with the body flange-Welded to the ends, of thechannelled mem,`

bersS-L` Y l The expandedr metal covering 4.9' may extend to the edges`of theframe, comprising the outside channelled members; 93, |02, and|03, or it may extend beyond the edges and beturned downwardly, as inthe previous embodiments.

The metal parts in this construction are I welded, whereasy in theprevious embodiments the stringers 925 are provided with slots' orcounter. bores v|194 for receiving'thef heads of the bolts |180.

Referring to. Fig. 15, this; is another modification, inv which. thestringere are made; partlyofz wood andpartly of angle. irons. In thisembodiment the stringers |05 are again equally spaced, and are eachprovided with an angle iron memmerxl, which is: secured to the. stringerby the Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, this is another 75' wooden bolts |01,the. heads of which areA em-v bedded in the. stringers. l

The vertical flange |08 of each angle iron isl provided with apluralityof equally spaced slots |09, and the slots are adapted to receive aplurality of metal strips or bars IIO, which may be made of sheet metal,and which are secured in the slots by a'close fit and by welding. Theendmost slots |09 are filled with the vertical flange of an angle ironor ||2 (Fig. 16) thereby providing a rmer frame member at the border ofthe rack, the horizontal flanges III, |I2 being flush with the top ofthe angles |06, which involves cutting down the vertical flange |08 bythe thickness of the flange of the angles I I I, I I2 from the last slotto the end of the angle iron |00. The other end borders of the frameworkmay be nished by providing additional angle irons ||3, ||4 (Fig. 15),the vertical flanges of which are welded to the ends ofthe bars I|0, andthe horizontal flanges of which are flush with the top edge of theflange |08.

In this case the expanded metal covering 48 may again be welded to theframework at a multiplicity of spaced points, preferably atintersections of the bars and angle irons |06, since they are welded,and may secure the expanded metal covering to 'both of the transverseframe members.

The expanded metal covering may terminate flush with the outermost edgesof the angle lirons I I3, I4, and it may be provided with a hair-pinbend ||5 at each edge (Fig. 16) where it projects beyond the angle ironsIII, ||2.

, In this embodiment the stringers |05 project beyond the framework atone side, as shown in Figy 16, being provided with a cylindrical, curvedend H6, and with an aperturev to receive a bolt used as a pintle for ahinge.

I desire it to be understood that any of the floor rack sections 33-36,l2-45, or 38-4I may be constructed according to any of themodifications, although the sizes shown indicate that the rstmodiilcation of Figs. 2-4 was made to t the rack sections at thedoorway, and the other modifications were made of a size for the otherpositions.

Any of the modifications may be made of any size desired and may belocated at any of the points in the car.

It will thus be observed that I have invented an improved floor rackstructure which may be made completely of metal so that it is entrelyreproof, yet it may be made stronger than the floor racks of the priorart and may be so constructed that it has a greater capacity forventilation.

The floor racks permit ventilation underneath the expanded metalcovering in both directions, since the stringers may be provided withapertures, and the floor racks provide a maximum ventilation through theracks, since the frame occupies a minimum amount of space, and theexpanded metal has a maximum amount of ventilating openings.

The floor racks constructed according to the present invention are alsopreferably galvanized over-all, after assembly of the metal parts, andthis also tends to secure together those parts of the stringers, framemembers and covering which may not have been welded. Thus the completeassembly is amply protected against rust, and the racks present acleaner and more sanitary appearance. s

The rack covering of expanded and pressed metal also provides arelatively smooth and bumpless surface for rolling trafc, such astrucks. i

Due to the interlocking *arrangement between the stringers andchannelled members which constitute the frame, and the welding, thepresent floor racks have a maximum of strength and rigidity, and theymay be constructed at a low cost, since their structure provides thestrength and rigidity with a minimum amount of metal. The entireframework is further strengthened by the attachment and welding of theexpanded metal to the framework, since'th'e strips of metal in theexpanded metal covering extend diagonally of the framework and act likebraces.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, manymodifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit of theinvention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details ofconstruction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes withinthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a floor rack for refrigerator cars, the comb-ination of aplurality of stringer members, with a plurality of frame membersextending transversely to said stringer members, and located at the topof said stringer members, one of said members being provided with spacedslots for receiving a part of the other of said members, whereby theupper surfaces of both of said members may be arranged flush to providea framework, and a foraminated covering member carried by said frameworkand secured thereto, said transverse frame members comprising aplurality of channelled members.

2. In a floor rack for refrigerator cars, the combination of a pluralityof stringers, said stringers comprising horizontally extending footflanges and vertical flanges, with a plurality of frame members, saidframe members comprising channels, each channel having a body flange anda pair of diagonally extending edge flanges, said stringers having slotsin their upper edges for receiving said channels, said channels beingdeformed at each slot for the insertion of the diagonal flanges into theslot, anda covering of expanded metal for the frame provided by saidchanneled members and stringers, said channelled members being flushwith the upper edges of said stringers, and said expanded metal havingall of its parts pressed into substantially the same plane.

3. In a floor rack for refrigerator cars, the combination of a pluralityof metal stringers, each stringer having` a vertically extending flangeprovided with a multiplicity of apertures and having a laterally turnedfoot flange, each stringer being provided with a multiplicity of slotsin its upper edge for receiving a plurality of channelled members, saidchannelled members having a body flange and a pair of laterallyextending flanges all arranged in said slots with the upper surfaces 0fsaid channelled members flush with the upper `edges of said stringers,and a covering of expanded metal having all of its parts pressed intosubstantially the same plane.

4. In a floor rack for refrigerator cars, the combination of a pluralityof metal stringers, each stringer having a vertically extending llangeprovided with a multiplicity of apertures and having a laterally turnedfoot flange, each stringer being provided with a multiplicity of slotsin its upper edge for receiving a plurality of channelled members, saidchannelled members having a body flange and a pair of laterallyextending flanges al1 arranged in said slots with Lslots,with aplurality of transverse channeled the upper surfaces of said channelledmembers flush with the upper edges of said stringers, and a 'covering ofexpanded metal having all of its parts pressed into substantially thesame plane, said rack having similar channelled members arranged to forma border frame at the edges of said rack flush with the top of saidstringers, and all lof said parts being Welded together at a pluralityof spaced points.

5. In a floor rack for refrigerator cars, the combination of a pluralityof stringers, each Stringer having a body flange and a foot flange, andsaid body flange being provided with a multiplicity of ventilationapertures, with slots in the upper edge thereof, and a plurality ofchannelled members, said channelled members having part of the bodythereof secured in said slots, and a covering of expanded metal havingall of its parts pressed into substantially the same pla-ne and securedto said channelled members in spaced relation to said stringers.

6. In a floor rack for refrigerator cars, the combination of a pluralityof stringers, each Stringer having a body flange and a foot flange, andsaid body flange being provided with a multiplicity of ventilationapertures, with slots in the upper edge thereof, and a plurality ofchannelled members, said channelled members having part of the bodythereof secured in said slots, and a covering of expanded metal havingall of its parts pressed into substantially the same plane and securedto said channelled members in spaced relation to said stringers, saidstringers also supporting angle irons at the borders of said rack, andsaid covering extending over said angle irons.

7. A floor rack for railway cars comprising a plurality of stringersconsisting of metal angle irons having the vertical flanges thereofprovided with a multiplicity of apertures and having a multiplicity ofaligned sl-ots at the upper edge thereof, and a plurality of transverseframe members carried by said slots and secured therein in spacedrelation to each other, said frame members comprising channels, thechannels having a vertical flange, and a pair of horizontal flanges, thehorizontal flanges being deformed at each of said slots, to permit saidchannels to be secured in said slots, and a foraminated metal coveringcarried by said stringers and transverse frame members and securedthereto at a multiplicity of spaced points.

8. A floor rack for railway cars comprising a plurality of metalstringers, each stringer having a horizontal flange and a Wider verticalflange, said vertical flange being provided with a multiplicity ofapertures, and having at its upper edge a multiplicity of spaced slots,the slots of the respective stringers being in alignment, and aplurality of channeled transverse frame members having a verticalflange, and a pair of horizontal ilanges, and said horizontal flangesbeing of substantially the same width as said slots, whereby saidchanneled members may be located and secured in said slots flush withthe top of said stringers, and a foraminated metal covering carried bysaid transverse frame members and stringers and secured thereto at aplurality of spaced points. y

9. In a floor rack for railway cars, a plurality of angle iron stringershaving a horizontal flange and a wider vertical flange, said verticalflange being provided with a plurality of apertures and having at itsupper edge a plurality of spaced frame members, said transversechanneled frame members having a body flange and a pair of diagonallyextending edge flanges, said slots being of suilic'ient width to receivesaid body ilange, and one of said edge flanges being deformed at saidslots inpsaid stringers whereby the transverse frame members may beinserted in said slots and secured therein, and a foraminated metalcovering carried by the other edge flanges of said transverse framemembers.

l0. In a oor rack for refrigerator cars, the combination of a pluralityof stringers comprising sheet metal members having horizontal bearingflanges and vertically extending supporting flanges, said verticallyextending supporting flanges being provided with a multiplicity ofregularly spaced slots arranged in series, one slot in each of saidstringers being aligned with slots of the same series in otherstringers, and a plurality of transverse frame members, said transverseframe members having a verticalflange and diagonally bent flanges, saiddiagonally bent flanges being bent into the plane of said verticalflange at .each of said slots whereby said horizontal frame members maybe received and secured in said slots, an external frame comprising aplurality of angle iron members secured to said transverse frame membersto form a boundary frame, a covering of expanded metal lath having allof its parts in substantially the same plane,

xedly secured to said horizontal frame members and boundary frame, andbracing means extending from the outermost of said stringers to saidboundary frame. l

1l. In a floor rack, the combination of a plurality of sheet metalstringers, each Stringer having a relatively broad vertically extendingbody flange and having a transversely extending foot flange forincreasing its bearing on the floor of a refrigerator oar, saidstringers being spaced at predetermined distance from each other andbeing provided at their upper ends with initially open slots ofsubstantially rectangular shape and a plurality of channeled members,each channeled member having a Vertical web and a pair of horizontallyextending flanges carried by the Web, said channeled members beingdisposed in said slots substantially ilush with the top edge of saidstringers, and a foraminated covering carried by the upper edges of saidstringers and the upper surface of the top flanges of said channeledmembers, said foraminated covering comprising expanded metal havingsubstantially all of its parts pressed into substantially the sameplane, the stringers and channeled members and expanded metal beingWelded together at predetermined points.-

l2'. In a floor rack, the combination of a plurality of sheet metalstringers, each stringerhaving a relatively broad vertically extendingbody flange and having a transversely extending foot flange forincreasing its bearing on the floor of a refrigerator car, saidstringers being spaced at predetermined distance fromy each other andbeing provided at their upper ends with initially open slots lofsubstantially rectangular shape and a plurality of channeled members,each channeled member having a vertical web and a pair of horizontallyextending flanges carried by the web, said channeled members beingdisposed in said slots substantially flush with the top edge of saidstringers, and a foraminated covering carried by the upper edges of saidstringers and the upper surface of the top flanges of said channeledmembers, said foraminated covering comprising expanded metal havingsubstantially'all of its parts pressed into substantially the sameplane, the stringers and channeled members and expanded metal beingWelded together at predetermined points, the said stringers extendinglongitudinally of the car. and'having a plurality of relatively largeopenings formed therein at regularly spaced points for permitting a.transverse circulation of air through the stringers as Well ascirculation in the spaces between the stringers.

CHARLES S4. JOHNSTON.

